“Many current and former homeowners may still be recovering from the housing crisis, and there's no guarantee that the market is now in recovery or will recover in the near future,” Investopedia states.

“[But] for those with a long-term investment objective, owning a home will keep pace with inflation and even beat it. Some investors are putting the cash to work by purchasing distressed properties and renting in this red hot rental market.”

As for gold, many experts recommend the precious metal as protection against the inflation that could ultimately result from massive central bank easing around the world.

High-yield (junk) bonds are another option. Some junk bond mutual funds and ETFs offer yields of more than 7 percent. “The downside is the increased level of risk, but for many investors the level of risk is appropriate,” Investopedia says.

Andrew Feltus, a junk bond fund manager at Pioneer Investments, says fundamentals line up well for the bonds now.

"That's not to say there won't be volatility," he tells The Wall Street Journal. "But if you're a buy-and-hold investor, you should be happy in five years."